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A Top View Of: Building J, "The Observatory," Of Monte Alban. And "The Grand Patio.".Photo Taken From The Top Of "The South Platform." November 9, 2012.Click On This Photo For A Video Of:Building J, "The Observatory," Of Monte Alban. And "The Grand Patio." 34.9 MB.

A Top View Of: Building J, "The Observatory," Or Building "J," Of Monte Alban. And "The Grand Patio."Photo Taken From The Top Of "The South Platform." November 9, 2012.

The Southwest Corner Of: Building J, "The Observatory," Or Building "J," Of Monte Alban. And "The Grand Patio."Photo Taken From The "Grand Patio." November 9, 2012.

Compare This Photo With The 2012 Photos Above.A Top View Of: Building J, "The Observatory," Or Building "J," Of Monte Alban. And "The Grand Patio."Photo Taken From The Top Of "The South Platform." In 1982.

Monte Alban: Building J or the "Observatory."

Being an amateur astronomer, George DeLange was facinated with this building. In fact he thinks it is one of the oddest buildings to be encountered in Meso-America. Built sometime between 100 BC and 200 AD in at least three different phases, it has astronomical alignments with the setting positions of the Southern Cross and Alpha and Beta Centauri, and the rising position of Capella.

It has many characteristics which set it apart from the rest of the city. The most obvious is the orientation of the building, running at a roughly 45 degree angle east of north from the rest of the site. Also, it has a peculiar arrowhead shape. Unlike the symmetrical layout exhibited by most Meso-American structures, the Observatory is designed so that no two walls or angles have the same measurements.

Along the back walls of the building are an array of stone plaques depicting different scenes and figures from Monte Alban including scenes of astronomical importance such as sighting sticks. Rather than showing a series of connected scenes, the display is somewhat haphazard, with some of them even apparently upside down. This suggests that they were not crafted with
this location in mind but that they were relocated from older sites and then placed in the Observatory. This odd orientation and sizing, along with many of the carvings, are what has lead to the speculation that this building was an ancient observatory.

While anthropologists have yet to find a solid reason for the hall way which leads through the building, they have found many astronomical alignments associated with the building. Using a planetarium to recreate the sky as it would have appeared in BC 250 reveals that at the time the point where the Southern Cross sets in the west was almost directly where the rear of the building points to the horizon.
In addition, a sightline running perpendicular from the doorway atop the stairs runs directly over a sight tube in the stairwell of Building P which was probably used to sight Pleiades and as a zenith tube similar to the one found in Xochicalco. Another sightline running perpendicular from a door at the top of the stairs, which was placed at an angle 4 degrees off the stairs, leads through a doorway on the top of Building P and announced the annual rising of the star Capella.
This took place annually on the same day the sun reached its zenith above Monte Alban and likely served to give the priests advanced notice of this event (Aveni pp.249-57).

The carvings on Building J record possible conquests of neighboring cities. These carvings depict named hills (in the Zapotec writing system) with severed or upside-down heads hanging from them.

Another alignment is that from the top of Building J, there is a clear view of another hill top city called Atzompa. Look at the left hand photo of: George DeLange At The Star Alignment Tunnel Of Building J, "The Observatory." You can see Atzompa in the background over George.

There are also several tunnels, or sighting slots cut through the structure, and the structure appears to have been aligned with the star system of Capella.

Building J is roped off so that it can not be climbed any longer. These pictures taken in 1982, will show some of the "sighting tunnels" and views from the top of Building J.

You can get some nice views of Building J from the South Platform but, it is not as nice as being able to walk on the top of Building J.

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Building J, "The Observatory" Of Monte AlbanGeorge DeLange "The Astronomer" Pointing At The Sun.You Can Not Stand Here! This Building Is Now Roped Off.

The Tombs

Monte Alban: The Tombs.
There have been over 200 tombs discovered at Monte Alban. Most were of elete citizens of the area and a few were rulers. Very little information has been discovered about the people who the tombs were for.

It is interesting to note that in some cases a rock wheel was used to roll across the entrance to the tomb to seal it against intruders. A practice used in the Middle East during the time of Christ.

We are showing a few of the tombs, some opened and some not opened for your viewing pleasure.

There Have Been Several Tombs Found NearThe North And North EastOf The North Pyramid Group Of Monte AlbanThis Is Tomb 104.

Tomb 104.

Tomb 104.

Tomb 104.

Tomb 104.

Tomb 104Rain God Cocijo.

Tomb 104Rain God Cocijo.

Tomb 104Rain God Cocijo.

Tomb.

Tomb.

Tomb.

Tomb.

Tomb.

Tomb.

Tomb.

Monte Alban: The Danzantes.

Almost all of the original Danzantes have been replaced with stone, or fiberglass reproductions. Almost all of the originals are now in museums, or in storage. Photos of some of the original danzantes; while located on site are shown below. These photos were taken many years ago in 1982.

Close Up Of One Of Several Original "Los Danzantes".

Audrey DeLange Showing Us The 'Tunnel Complex' Or 'The Chapel' In The Center Of Plaza. And Building J,Looking SW Toward Complex G, H, & I.The "Tunnel Complex" Or (The Chapel) In The Center Of Plaza.Building J (Observatory) Is On The Top Left (SE Corner).